Thursday, June 14, 2018

Last year, Nova
Pro Wrestling debuted their Commonwealth Cup tournament as a one-night
array of stacked matches. All sorts of debuting talent mixed it up with company
mainstays for the right to raise the Cup. Logan Easton Laroux came out
victorious, and an institution was born. Fast forward one year, and the
Commonwealth Cup evolved into an entire weekend that featured three shows (two
of which on Powerbomb.tv) and the
first-ever women’s Commonwealth Cup tournament.

Things were off to a rocky start the week of the tournament.
Heavy favorite Gunner Miller
announced he had suffered a terrible injury that would keep him out for the
rest of 2018. The first entrant announced- Eddie Kingston- would withdraw due
to medical reasons. The debuting Chelsea Green would bow out of the tournament
the same day. Nova Pro was in a bad spot, but you don’t run their level of
shows for more than three years without a little resilience. Homicide would
fill in for Gunner to face Beau
Crockett, and Jonathan
Gresham stepped in admirably to fight Dominic Garrini. The bubbly Barbi Hayden would be called up
from non-tournament action to make her debut in style opposite Angelus Layne.

This article isn’t just to simply recapthewinners
(albeit ones with impressive runs/career trajectories). It’s to dig deeper and
to describe the experience that is Commonwealth Cup weekend based not only on
my perspective but those of the entrants, personnel and fans. Last year’s
Commonwealth Cup was filled with action- but 2018 was a weekend to remember
chalk full of their core roster, returning favorites and debuting talent.

-The debuts of PCO, Nick Gage, Homicide and NWA
Champion Nick Aldis (After
typing that I had to read it again because it was so surreal having all 4 men
in the same building.)

Instead I’ll start with Wes “Danger” Rogers. The Hampton,
Virginia native and 2017 Nova BOC tryout attendee had shown up for the Mike Quackenbush seminar to
soak in any and all knowledge he could. Ironically enough, he was the subject
of a question posed by the MGB
podcast during my talk with Tim
Donst about his similar “Safety First” gimmick in VCW. The two would
connect on Friday and find a way to team up later on that night.

But Wes shouldn’t even be here. Two and a half years ago he
was driving when a drunk driver being pursued by cops had gotten to the wrong
side of the road and crashed head on at seventy miles per hour with him. Wes
doesn’t remember much that night, but he would have plenty of mementos: a broken
ankle, smashed knees, torn abdomen, severe concussion amongst other injuries.
He’d spend 40 days in the hospital and have multiple surgeries as recent as
August 2017 to help him live a normal life again.

“I'm a walking testament to both the triumphs and follies of
modern medicine,” said the cheerful Rogers. Simply surviving that is a
challenge in itself- let alone continuing his career as a professional
wrestler. But hey, at least he has a stellar Storm Troopac tattoo as well.

Rogers would join the hottest act in the company, “Safety
First” Tim Donst as part of the Safety Squad featuring “Cool Caution” Kyle, “Duct
Tape” Doug and a few other new members: “Too Safe” Kevin Trash and “Sweeping”
Scott Hallway. Chants of “SAFETY FIRST” and “TOO SAFE” permeated the Annandale
Volunteer Fire Department. Even though Donst and Fred Yehi had faced off before, this
felt different with their respective evolutions. Prior to the match, Yehi
joined forces with Stokely
Hathaway by bypassing signing a contract with a firm hug.

Everyone in the squad had their role, and the creativity
incorporated was brilliant. Yehi brought his physical style but was constantly
counteracted by the Safety Squad’s antics:

Yehi would score the submission win over my pick to win it
all, but Tim would return on night 2 with a familiar foe. Despite not winning
the CWC, Donst remained positive about the weekend as a whole.

“I love being around fresher outside talent. It's hip and
refreshing to see guys like Homicide and PCO among the regular roster members.
It allows for fresh matchups and team ups,” said Donst.

He continued, “I enjoy spending time with the regular roster
members as well. Pro wrestlers really are a make shift family on the road and
on the run. There's guys I consider to be my best friends that I see once every
month. It makes sense- not only are you connected through an ultimate socially
unacceptable art form fandom by performing but you also have to trust each
other with your lives with every hold, move and match. Getting to spend more
than thirty minutes talking to a locker-room mate on a busy show day is rare
but this show allowed our family to get even stronger.”

One of the wildest things was kicking off the men’s
tournament with two of Nova Pro’s cornerstones: the defending CWC winner, Logan
Easton Laroux versus The Old Dominion Rumble winner Arik Royal. The two proved
at Nova Project 3 they were capable of putting on an instant classic and did
not disappoint here. Royal scored the win and ended Laroux’s streak of
appearing on every show.

“It was a Shakespearean tragedy the likes of which the
wrestling world has never seen,” said Logan.

The Gated
Community and Ed Dao would not
have a fun weekend, as Alexander
James also lost in the opening round to Wheeler Yuta. It was a match I had
pegged as my dark horse to steal that round, and after seeing the storytelling
between those two combined with their in-ring chemistry- I would easily put it
up against any other first round match. Bobby Shields did beat Solo Darling, and James would
redeem himself on night two with a win over Jimmy Jacobs. Each match had its
own identity, and that was integral for such a loaded two days.

The action would continue with Powerbomb TV champion Tracy Williams defeating Curt Stallion with a piledriver
and Sage Philips surviving two beatings by Jimmy Jacobs and Dominic Garrini.
He’d not only live to tell about it- but wrestle the three other finalists. Like
the rest of the field I talked to, Garrini only had positives to come from the
weekend.

“The Commonwealth Cup was a great experience. Nova Pro is
quickly building a tournament experience like other top flight independent
promotions, especially with the addition of the women’s tournament. Guy, girl-
it didn’t matter. The best in the world competed in both. For me it was awesome
because I got the chance to wrestle opponents like Jon Gresham- one of the best
wrestlers in the world- and an up-and-comer in Sage.”

Friday night would see 3 huge debuts: Homicide, Nick Gage
and PCO. Homicide filled in for Gunner Miller and ended up tapping out Beau
Crockett but would fall to Yuta in the second round due to a
controversial three-count which left myself and the rest of the crowd stunned.

"I was happy with both of my matches until the ref stopped the match versus Yuta on Saturday night. I was bleeding and I felt at the time it was corny to stop the match- but I understand the rules are different in Virginia," Homicide would say later.

The main event was a match that when announced for the CWC,
even promoter Mike E. King was
in shock he managed to book it: Nick Gage versus PCO. Fans peppered the AVFD
with chants of “WE’RE GONNA DIE”, “NICK F*CKING GAGE” and “PCO”. A few fans
even suggested making “We survived Gage vs PCO” shirts. Simply put- the two did
not disappoint.

After the match, the audience either needed a drink, a smoke
or both. What surprised me most was how quick and agile Gage was, and how fun
it would have been to see him versus other CWC entrants.

PCO would come out on top and would take on Arik Royal in
the second round. Following PCO for the weekend would be the talented filmmaker
Kenny Johnson who has done
documentaries for Evolve, Joey
Janela, MJF and more. I got
his thoughts on his experience at Nova Pro and with PCO.

“He’s a super nice guy who’s got an incredible amount of
passion for wrestling. He’s not afraid to reinvent himself and take chances. He
always wants to give one-hundred percent to each match. Filming was super easy.
He was able to open up and give a lot of great insight on his career and
thoughts on life in general,” said Johnson.

I got a chance to talk with PCO after night two, and we had
a very laidback conversation. With as popular as the guy is these days, he
never once made it feel rushed and gave me all the time in the world to catch
up with him following our wonderful talk on the SCSO.

I had done a cover image for the podcast using a unique font that I felt fit his character, and Pierre was really impressed by it. He raved to me through messenger, but in person even more. He felt it really fit his character perfectly. The O with the target in it to him really personified him hunting his goals. That level of appreciation blew me away.

"Nova Pro is a great company to perform for. They are
very professional as are all the guys and girls in the locker-room. The crowd
is very smart and engaged with all the matches, and I truly enjoyed this
weekend. Under any circumstances, I always give my all,” said Pierre.

Saturday was defined by two things: the women taking over
and more storyline-driven matches as opposed to pure tournament competition.
The eight women were busting their butts to make history, and the afternoon show
was full of staples (Jordynne Grace, Allie Kat, Veda Scott, Angelus Layne, Faye Jackson), returns (Rachael Ellering, Mia Yim) and a lone debut (Barbi
Hayden). Hayden was originally scheduled to take part in non- tournament action
and was a replacement for Chelsea Green who bowed out late in the week. Hayden
had her opportunity versus Layne who was fighting for her career with Nova Pro.

The first thing I noticed about the College Station, Texas
product was how genuinely nice she was- which is why she’s a perfect fit for a
locker room that lacks egos.

“Going into Nova Pro, I didn’t have many set expectations. I
tend to leave preconceived notions at the door because I like to experience
everything for my own judgement. The crowd was vivacious and friendly, the
venue was brightly lit and well taken care of. I was a last-minute replacement
and if you know me- you know I hate last minute changes,” said Hayden. “Despite
not winning in the end, I’m very proud of my performance and cannot wait to
return to such a classy and well-put together show that’s appropriate for all
ages.”

Layne knew what the show meant for wrestling in general, no
matter whether one is male or female.

“The 2018 women’s CWC wasn’t a tournament to showcase the
talents of the top female competitors within Nova Pro, but rather step forward
in showcasing talent regardless of gender- blurring the lines of ‘good for a
woman’ or ‘good for a man’. All the women in the tournament delivered as
professional wrestlers who all had the common goal of winning.”

Dennis from the Squared Circle Sirens would help with the majority of announcing duties for the tournament. He was kind enough to compose his thoughts in a very eloquent tweet:

A fun callback to last year’s tryout show was Veda Scott
versus Allie Kat in a “teacher versus student” matchup. Scott came with a
“crazy cat lady” gimmick which saw her toss stuffed cats into the crowd to the
chagrin of Allie- one of which gave her a pretty stellar hip toss. Yes, you
read that right. It also included the BRUTALITY of Veda being slammed into dry
cat food. Allie would pick up the win with her trademark headbutt.

Elsewhere in the opening round, Jordynne Grace would have a
fast-paced and competitive match with the lovely Rachael Ellering and come out
on top. Mia Yim’s return was followed with a win over Faye Jackson.

The next round is where storylines played more of a role
when Angelus lost to Allie Kat by not breaking the ref’s five count.

“After winning my first-round match and securing my position
in Nova Pro, I realized the Cup didn’t mean as much to me as revenge did. I
made the decision to teach Allie Kat a lesson rather than advance to the
finals. Continuing to make her, Mike E. King and Nova Pro as a whole suffer is
more of a victory than anything.”

That left Northern Virginia’s own Mia Yim to take on the powerhouse
Jordynne Grace. The two elite wrestlers went back and forth, but Grace would
prove to be too much for Mia.

“I love the concept and am excited to see next year’s
tournament,” said Yim.

By this point in the day, I started to feel a sense of
exhaustion- but a powernap in between shows followed by a Redbull had me jacked
and ready to go for the evening.

I feel like Stefon in Saturday Night Live. Saturday night
had EVERYTHING: tournament matches, title matches, tag matches, returns, NO DQ
matches, storyline advancement, etc. One of the more special moments was Crab Wrestling Champion Isaiah Frazier challenging Nick
Aldis for the NWA championship with a spot at ALL IN on the line.

I have seen the talent in Isaiah, and him defeating Mack Buckler on night one felt like
a long time coming. He moves effortlessly in the ring with accuracy and speed.
He could use those as an advantage over Aldis, whereas Aldis would use his
power and veteran savvy to outdo Frazier. The crowd has been behind Frazier the
last few months, and on this night they were louder and more passionate than
ever.

It was not meant to be tonight for Isaiah, but even in a
loss he had a star-making performance.

“That match was amazing. He’s a great wrestling mind. I
definitely look forward to doing it again. He told me he loved being at Nova
and said it was fun,” said Isaiah.

Aldis expressed plenty of respect for the young talent, and
his fondness for Nova Pro as a whole.

“I had a good time at the Commonwealth Cup and was very impressed
by the professionalism of the promotion. Isaiah has come a long way in a short
period of time and hung in there very well with me. He deserved the standing
ovation he got at the end of the match. If he continues to work hard and
develop his character he has a bright future in the business.

There were lots of great talent at the show that I have
never seen before- both male and female. Scouting potential future opponents
and talent for future NWA projects is always exciting to me.

I hope I get to return to Nova Pro as I had a great time and
I'm fairly close being in Richmond. I would like to see them prosper and enjoy
working with younger talent.”

Donst and Gage would be the perfect opponents for The Carnies. The odd couple duo
gave me flashbacks of The Rock N’ Sock Connection on a Nova Pro scale, and it
was just the first part of the fantastic storytelling throughout the match.

Despite being so good at being bad, the crowd truly enjoyed
seeing the Circus return to Northern Virginia and Kerry Awful reflected on the
moment.

“It’s probably been what- like two, three, four months since
we were last at Nova Pro? It’s funny, because I never really know how the crowd
is going to react to us there. I would say that Nick, Tripp and I are probably
the most polarizing figures there. One night they might be threatening to stab
our tires and the next moment they are beating our drum into battle. I think
there was more than a few people secretly chanting ‘welcome back’. I think we
were able to make something special happen with Gage & Donst. Especially
when I powerbombed Donst so hard it knocked him back into his former identity.
Even though we won the match, I don’t feel as if I’m done with Gage. When he
ripped my shirt, and I took my mask off — there was a brief moment where it
felt time stopped and the crowd felt something very special.”

Nick chimed
in as well. “I’ll say this about Nova Pro- it’s got one of the most dynamic,
well-rounded locker rooms along with one of the most die-hard fan bases.
Anytime our busy schedule lines up, we jump at the opportunity to be there.”

Donst would be reincarnated as his pre-Safety First self,
but The Carnies would come out on top. The fallout was almost more important
than the preceding match. Gage got into it with Donst and the two began to set
up a match at a later date, but even more pressing- Beau decided the circus tent
was getting just a bit too crowded.

"The Carnies- Nick, Kerry, Trip...they claimed to be my brothers," said Beau. "They claimed they were going to be family and with their help The Beau Show would be the Main Attraction of the Carnival. Where did they go? what did they do? Where did my loyalty to them get me? I became the Main Attraction on my own anyway. Turns out I didn't need their help, and I owe them nothing. Not one bit of my effort unless it's to burn the big top to the ground."

“Beau talks about where we have been or what have we done
for him? We didn’t have his back. Beau should have learned a lesson in being self-reliant,”
said Kerry. “That’s the first rule of being a Carny. We don’t cheat because we
have to, we cheat because we want to. We’re going to see if we can fleece the Gated
Community out of a small house payment to get rid of him. There is nothing the
circus likes more than getting paid to do something they love, and Beau —
destroying him is something we are going to love doing.”

Nick echoed the sentiment, saying “He threw away his future.
If it wasn’t for the Carnies, he’d still be dancing with Innocent Isaiah and
fading into obscurity. We gave his career a resurgence. He failed to get past
the first round, so it’s probably best he removed himself from the Carnies to
save us any more embarrassment.”

The women’s tournament would conclude with an epic match
between Jordynne Grace and Allie Kat. It was two of the best in ring performers
the company has to offer, and the psychology on display was brilliant.
Jordynne’s leg was bothering her from earlier in the day, and Allie’s back had
been destroyed by Gothicc. She had the KT tape to prove it, but the glory of
being the first ever women’s Commonwealth Cup winner was on the line. Both
targeted the problem areas, and Grace would use Air Jordynne, forearms and
eventually a bearhug to submit the valiant feline.

The significance of the win was not lost on Grace, “I was lucky and unlucky in the fact that
I had three incredible opponents throughout the tournament. Lucky in the fact
that all three of these women, Rachael, Mia, and Allie, are all incredible
wrestlers, among the best in the world, and unlucky in that there was no match
I could go easy or ‘phone it in’. I had three matches I was proud of and really
gave it my all throughout the entire day. I am extremely grateful and
humbled to have won it.”

The men’s final still had one spot open, and Royal vs PCO decided
who got in. It was the hossiest of hoss battles, and if you think PCO was
slowing down, you’re damn wrong. Dude was still diving through the ropes,
frog-splashing and moonsaulting his ass off to try and win. Royal’s resilience
came in to play and he’d secure that final spot.

Yuta, Royal, Philips and Tracy Williams would be that final four.
The action as expected was fast and furious with Williams being eliminated
first by Royal, then Sage by Royal, then finally Yuta wins with the STF. Not a
lot of people saw his win coming, and the crowd was happy for him but still in
a state of shock. Even less people expected what followed: Homicide brutally
attacking Yuta postmatch, destroying the Cup and demanding ring announcer Bryan
Hughes declare him the winner of the tournament.

“Winning the tournament really meant a lot to me because I felt
like it was a unique task that I was able to accomplish. To come in and wrestle
six completely different competitors in two days is nothing to scoff at. I
pride myself on adaptability and using my intelligence and scientific approach
to get the win, and I feel like I did that this weekend. I needed significant
resilience as well, and I like to think I showed that as well. Hopefully I
proved that Wheeler Yuta is the future.”

He might have had a winning afterglow but the extracurricular
activities were not lost on him.

“I was less than happy to be
attacked by Homicide. I understand there was some controversy following our second-round
match, but I would have happily fought in a rematch at American Slang without
the attack. That was supposed to be my moment in Nova Pro, but I guess I'll
just have to come out on top at American Slang and get my moment then.” Nova
Pro announced earlier this week the two will face off at American Slang.”

Two shows in a day is long for
anyone, especially the competitors- but the reaction I have heard from fans,
friends, personnel and wrestlers is nothing but positive. Todd Meyers, who the
fans have dubbed “Buff Ref” compared this CWC to last year’s.

“I thought the talent level and
match quality were noticeably better. The biggest story for me coming out of
the trio of shows this weekend was the return of Tim Donst and his development
with Nick Gage. That match will be insane. Homicide is set to unleash havoc on
Nova Pro, too. While the tournament was great, those bigger stories will
headline a hot summer for Nova Pro.”

The weekend wasn’t over there, as The Cue Club down the
street held post show festivities. In one room you had Nick Gage playing
Homicide in pool, and the two could not have been cooler and more appreciative
of the fan support.

In the next room? Karaoke.

Tim Donst and Breaux
Keller were the all-stars, planning out what songs were next and killing it
each time they performed. You couldn’t
help but sing-along, dance and let loose. The highlight was the entire room singing
the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way”:

It was a way to cap off a fantastic weekend, especially for
Breaux who had two wins in two nights.

“It’s definitely an
honor being on these shows with such a talented roster. It’s very humbling for
me and to snag a couple of W’s. Hopefully I can take this momentum and keep it
rolling as I try to climb the ladder all the way up. Also, I’m trying to be
somewhere close to being as cool as ‘Cool Caution’ Kyle,” he told me.

You’ll never be as cool as “Cool Caution’ Kyle, Breaux. But
Donst finished things off with the reason why Commonwealth Cup weekend is
officially “a thing”:

“The Nova Pro fans rule. Not only
are they super positive, super loud but super interactive. I think their
creation of my ‘Safety First" variant is proof of that. Mike King didn't
create it. I didn't have anything to do with it. The crowd did- and that rules.
That's wrestling. Need more proof? One of the greatest moments of my life was
not only seeing a sea of safety vests during the show but afterwards while
doing "bust a move" someone moved a safety cone on stage with me…in real
life. Even after the show the bond between performer and crowd member and fun
is all in the same. I had the greatest wrestling and karaoke time this past
weekend. The fans made it so.”

I already have a list of songs in mind for the next karaoke night,
and only one goal: Nick Gage leading everyone in his version of “The Safety
Dance”.

Monday, May 28, 2018

We are mere hours away from one of the most important games
of the season for the Houston Rockets and their fanbase at the Toyota Center. Some
may mention legacy talk for Mike D’Antoni, James Harden and Chris Paul. The
outcome will not only a measuring stick on viewing this season as a success/failure
for most, but a game that has Rockets nation the closest they’ve ever been to
an NBA Finals since they won two back-to-back in 1994 and 1995. Along the way,
they’ve suffered more than a few heartbreaks, and I’m not sure how much more
the loyal Houstonians can take after such a memorable season so far as the
number one seed with homecourt advantage.

Before we go any further, it must be noted that Chris Paul’s
availability for Game 7 are uncertain. He injured his hamstring towards the end
of Game 5 and sat out Game 6. The Rockets started hot but faded in the second
half- and even at seventy-five to eighty percent, CP3 would be a welcomed
addition to help take some ball-handling responsibilities from James Harden. But
despite whether Paul plays or not, the Rockets are in a must-win situation with
Golden State as their kryptonite, and Harden must be Superman in order for
Houston to move on. It was also announced Andrew Iguodala is out for the third
straight game which must have been a relief for the city of Houston.

The post-championship Rockets have always seemed like the
bridesmaid and never the bride, but they may have been upgraded to
maid-of-honor with their effort so far this series. The late nineties saw a pseudo
super team form when Charles Barkley joined Clyde Drexler and Hakeem and helped
lead them to a 57-25 record. They would fall to a John Stockton buzzer beater
in the Western Conference Finals.

The next season, Houston struggled to a 41-41 record but
still made the playoffs. Again, the Jazz would eliminate them in the first
round. The next offseason saw them add Scottie Pippen in a sign-and-trade,
while new faces like Bryce Drew, Cuttino Mobley and Michael Dickerson joined
the fold. They’d finish the strikeout-shortened season 31-19. Maybe it was not
enough time to completely gel, maybe it was age, maybe it was Maybelline- but
they would once again fall in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The next era in Houston saw them trade for former Maryland
Terrapin Steve Francis. While a dynamic talent who would find chemistry with
Mobley, those years were a rollercoaster with little to show for it: 34-48, 45-37,
28-54, 43-39, 45-37. They would only make the playoffs once (losing 4-1 to the
dynastic Lakers), draft Yao Ming with the top pick in 2002 and Rudy Tomjanovich
would retire after 02-03 as Jeff Van Gundy would take over. JVG would get one
year with Steve as the cornerstone until they included him in a trade that
would bring over Tracy McGrady.

T-Mac and Yao had all sorts of expectations, and people made
comparisons to Shaq and Kobe, whether realistically or not. Once you get an
elite scorer like T-Mac and one of the best-shooting big men, minds will
wander. The Rockets surprised everyone when they jumped out to a 2-0 series
lead versus the favorite Dallas Mavericks in 2005, but squandered the series
and lost 4-3 (including a 40 point loss in Game 7).

The two would never realize their potential as they would
trade time with multiple injuries before McGrady would be traded in 2010, and Yao
would retire in 2011. The Rockets franchise was in a state of disarray, with no
clear identity.

The 2011-2012 Rockets were young and without a franchise
piece, yet still managed a respectable 34-32 record in a shortened season
thanks to Chandler Parsons, Goran Dragic and Kyle Lowry. The big score wouldn’t
happen until the next offseason when James Harden was acquired from the Thunder
in a move that shocked the league. Some doubted if he could develop into an elite
cornerstone, but he has since silenced those doubts over the past five seasons.
His first season saw him carry a mashed-up collection of talent to a 45-37
record and an eight seed before falling to the Thunder 4-2 in the playoffs.
While not an ideal ending, it was progress and Daryl Morey looked smarter by
the day.

The next big era would join Dwight Howard with Harden. Like
Yao/T-Mac before them, they had lofty expectations from the start as a classic center/guard
combo. While the expectations were there, the results were mixed. The two would
end up on the wrong end of another buzzer-beater courtesy of Damian Lillard.

The duo would create much tension, and never find any
success outside of an upset of the then Chris Paul-led Clippers that led to a WCF
appearance in 2015 as a massive underdog to the Warriors championship team. They
would lose 4-1.

Dwight would spend one more year with Houston before the
tension was insurmountable. They ended the 2015-2016 season with a 4-1 loss to Golden
State again.

Harden would get Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson the next
season, and while they saw semblances of success- they were never viewed as
serious contenders. The hardest pillow to swallow for the franchise came in
last year’s playoffs when they were blown out by 39 at home to a Spurs team
without Kawhi Leonard or Tony Parker.

With all the ups and downs, fans continue to buy in to the
Rockets and their potential. This season saw them prove a lot of doubters wrong
on the way to 65 wins, a potential NBA MVP and multiple statistical and historical
records. Houston was down after Game 6 but not out and are in a “Rockets versus
the world” kind of mode with doubters a plenty.

Resilience and the ability to answer adversity has become a
hallmark of this team. They have answered every loss this postseason with a
counter punch of their own, and I don’t see why they can’t do the same at home.
Houston is a proud and strong city, and the Rockets should go in with plenty of
confidence as they’ve been able to do what no other team in this Warriors
championship era has: challenge them and put doubt in their heads.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

A few months back, Timmy Danger approached me to come on my podcast
to discuss a show “The
Progressive Liberal” Daniel Richards and himself were setting up in Richmond.
It would be in a brewery/bar setting and would mark the return of wrestling in
Richmond. I’m no promoter or wrestler but talking to plenty of them over the
last two years or so gave me an idea of just how difficult it is to put on your
own show and get people to make it a part of their Friday night plans-
especially with no track record to go off of.

But the two worked hard on all the logistics: getting a venue,
sponsors, wrestlers, vendors, a ring announcer and most importantly- a crowd.
The two and referee Chris
Sharpe (another Richmond local) appeared on various media outlets to hype
it up and spread the word through social media. By Friday morning, tickets for
the show were officially sold out and people were turned away at the door of
The Hofheimer Building.

Heading into this I knew I would be making it down to
Richmond (at rush hour on a Friday on Memorial Day weekend no less) and back in
the same night which would equal four total hours of driving. After I talked in
detail with the two on The Squared
Circle Soundoff, I was more than hyped to do it, and after last night I would
do it again in a heartbeat. Joining me would be Lupus Dei and Edward Dao of The
Gated Community, in support of “The Champion of the 1 Percent” Logan Easton
Laroux and Bobby Shields.

We got there fifteen minutes prior to belltime and the show
was on the second floor of The Hof. The lovely Emma Lou would be handing out
the wristbands, and I told her I look forward to seeing her make her Nova Pro
debut opposite Jordan Blade in a few weeks. The two would have a memorable
interaction later in the night.

Once we got settled with our ice-cold beverages (Allagash
White for the win) you could sense the show would have an intimate feel and a
unique look. The ceiling was very low, and the ring was a tad smaller and lower
than your typical one. There was an opening in the middle of the room that had
a window right above the ring. Pipes hanging from the ceiling would certainly
play a part later in the night and affect how guys either avoided them or used
them to their advantage. Let’s just say no one was hitting a shooting star
press tonight.

Daniel and Chris appeared on the SCSO Episodes 82 and 82.5 to discuss the show at The Hof.

People were buzzing, and ring announcer/local personality Wonderland
Chad would get on the mic to get the crowd even more amped. Eddie Diamond
(another local guy and former OVW Heavyweight Champion) would kick things off
with Bobby Shields. I talked with Shields on what it meant to open up a show that
had such high hopes.

“It was amazing to not only set the tone for the event last
night but to set the tone for the beginning of something amazingly special in
Richmond.The crowd, the atmosphere- it was
a perfect storm of everything that’s great about pro wrestling.Last night is the type of night why I do
this, why I do the drives, and why I love independent professional wrestling.”

The two locked up and would go back and forth in a stellar
matchup. Each time they took a bump, the ring seemed to have an added pop to it
being in a small setting, and the crowd ate it up immediately. Diamond would
score the win and set the tone for the Richmond fans. A six-man tag team match that
included Noise Pollution and Jimmy Love versus Beau James, Mega Destroyer and
Shawn Cruz would follow. James is Daniel Richards’ mentor.

I had the pleasure of meeting Maxx Morrison and
congratulating him on his recent engagement to his fiancé. I’d ask him about
his thoughts on their match and the night as a whole.

“What we did
last night was special. We packed a room in the heart of Richmond and gave them
a show they’ll never forget. Pure awesome from top to bottom. For the crowd to
be as hot as they were and every match felt big. Everything about that
atmosphere felt right.”

Up next was Dejaun O’Neal vs Jason Kincaid in a bout
Morrison considered to be contending for match of the night opposite Timmy
Danger/Chris Silvio- and I’d definitely agree. O’Neal and Kincaid would go back
and forth for a quite a while (apologies as I did not time matches) and capitalized
on a crowd that appreciated everyone’s efforts. While each would have their
impressive moments, Kincaid took advantage of the environment around him and
leaped up to hang off a ceiling pipe and deliver a leg drop across the neck/back
of O’Neal for the win.

Despite being on the losing end of his match versus Kincaid,
O’Neal had plenty of positives to take away.

“That night was magic. Richmond set an atmosphere in which
the energy was tangible. It’s rare to experience environments such as that one.
As for my match, Jason Kincaid and I did battle, I learned a lot but I also
proved that I can hold my own in the ring with one of the best in the world.”

A brief intermission would follow where the guys would sell
merchandise, greet fans and give the high-energy crowd a chance to regroup,
refuel and get ready for the latter part of the show. The crew kept the
projected pace of two/two and-a-half hours on course.

I left to use the bathroom, and the hallway had to be a legitimate ten degrees cooler than the wrestling area. But sweating out this show was part of the charm in my opinion. At one point I was waiting to use one of the SIX unisex bathrooms that kept lines almost nonexistent (a gamechanger if there ever was one) and conversed with a well-dressed female who was coming down from the rooftop bar and looked like she'd never seen wrestling in her life.

"Enjoying the show?" I asked.

"I'm at the bar upstairs but this looks like way more fun. Are they doing this again?" she inquired.

I neither confirmed nor denied but she was one of more than a few rooftop patrons who snuck glances from time to time at the show.

They never let matches
drag on and filled time accordingly. Up next was Timmy Danger and Chris Silvio
in a street fight, and as Maxx and I agreed earlier- it was definitely a show
stealer.

These guys poured their heart and soul into this match and
it all began with a hell of an entrance for Silvio.

Danger and Silvio went to war, using a variety of ways to
inflict punishment on each other. Danger had two henchmen and Neil Sharkey to
give him an upper hand at times, and the two would use trays and ladders, the
outside of the ring and everything in between on this night. Silvio wrestled
like a madman, diving through the ropes and out of the ring and having no
regard for his safety.

Sharkey wouldn’t just get involved from the apron but he’d
even find himself on the damn ladder itself, and he received a lesson in
gravity from Silvio, who would finish off the match flying through the air with
a pretty sweet elbow:

The two would eventually get to their feet and share a
mutual respect until Danger booted Silvio in the gut- because, c’mon…it’s Timmy
Danger. But the impression they left on the crowd was indelible. Chants of “THIS
IS AWESOME!” and “FIGHT FOREVER!” permeated the Richmond night, and they
delivered without letting it drag at any period. Silvio expressed his gratitude
afterwards.

“It was an emotional evening last night. We definitely left
our hearts in the ring. Danger was a warrior. I can’t wait for the next one,”
he told me.

“I wanted to give the fans a night to remember and I felt we
accomplished that,” said Danger.

Before we got to our Laroux/Richards main event, Emma Lou
came out to present one lucky winner with a full-size poster of the show. It was
a cool moment but interrupted by Jordan Blade. The two talented Richmond
products had a little scuffle and Emma came out on top. Ref Chris Sharpe went
to help up Blade, and she was having none of it, pushing him away and then
slapping him hard across the face. Sharpe went into hell-raising badass mode
and STUNNED her. The crowd went off for it, and it was a nice primer before we
got to the battle right and left. Sharpe had a full night, refereeing every
match in a room that was quite hot by being filled at capacity. I asked if the
heat was an obstacle throughout the night for him.

“No, I loved it. It helps you work up a good sweat and I
always put in work anyways.”

It was a big deal for the local native, and the night as a
whole was not lost on him.

“After years of perfecting their craft in other states and
all over the world, the Richmond boys wanted to come together for one night to
give the friends and family of our hometown something to talk about-a night to
remember. We sold out of tickets hours before the event began and what looks
like it may have just been a one-off thing is now becoming Richmond's hottest
thing. We've started something here now and we will be back.”

The main event kicked off when Logan Easton Laroux came out
to face the ire of the capital of a blue state. He spoke the gospel of the
Gated Community, the word of the wealthy, the preaching of the privileged…. but
the crowd was NOT having it. Myself and Ed Dao raised our One Percent foam
fingers proudly and the room turned on us, but we managed to elicit pretty
impressive chants for being only two guys. I don’t ever look to make myself part
of the show but I was just enjoying the moment.

Now I will admit I don’t have as many videos or this match
because I was doing a rare Facebook Live for most of it. If we’re friends on
Facebook, you know where to find it. But Logan soaked in the boos and jeers,
and Daniel used the adulation of the crowd to help propel him to victory. Logan’s
aerial offense was nonexistent with the low-ceiling, so he used a resourceful
moveset to give Richards’ agenda a run for its money. He was on the offensive
for most of the match and even hit his trademark cutter at one point. He would
test Chris Sharpe when he laid his hands on him, so Sharpe took
Logan to the woodshop with a number of chops and a Ric Flair strut. Shortly
after, Richards hit a chokeslam on Logan. Logan would try and fight back until
this happened:

I’d follow up with Richards, and he was still basking in the
feeling twelve hours later.

“Last night was a tribute. It was a tribute to our city and
its culture. It was a tribute to the independent scene that existed here before
and a toast to the future of pro wrestling here.”

Once the show ended, it was good to catch up with friends
and let the room empty so we could actually breathe. Everyone was in good
spirits. Some- like us- would begin the trek home, while others would go up to
the rooftop and celebrate the night with drinks and merriment. I did not speak
to a single person or see anything later on social media that reflected anything
but positive thoughts/feelings about the show.

On this night, while the competitors would look to finish with
the victory- wins wouldn’t matter as much as the effect it had on the fans and keeping
them intrigued for their next return. The theatrics and athleticism of professional wrestling were the true victor, and the city would once again roar in appreciation following
Richards’ post-match speech. After witnessing it firsthand, there’s no reason
to believe they can’t do it again.

Monday, May 14, 2018

I’d known about The Making
Towns Classic since it was announced earlier this year, and my excitement level
only grew after talking to both Mike and Dylan Hales for my preview on Episode
80 of The Squared Circle Soundoff last week. Myself and a few friends had
the pleasure of being live at the first ever Making Towns Classic, and from the
start it was more than just a pair of wrestling shows/ one day
tournament- it was an experience mixed with friends, fun, wrestling and plenty
more.

A group of us made our way to Nashville via the Making Towns
Caravan headed up by Edward Dao and the Big Gold Belt group following Nova Pro’s
stellar Threat of Joy (now available on Powerbomb.tv)
on Friday night in Annandale. Ed, Glen, DJ and myself and a few others piled
into one van and off we were. I have all the respect in the world for what
wrestlers do in the ring, but after this I found a newfound respect for the traveling
aspect, too.

With any roadtrip, there were a number of stops along the
way- including a debacle at one Wafflehouse- but we made pretty decent time and
got to the Fairgrounds at around 12 pm on Saturday. With time to kill, we got a
look at the venue before the show then headed out to grab a
bite. We headed to a nice part of town and into Edley’s Bar-B-Que on Main
Street (thanks for the suggestion, Kerry Awful!). The place itself had a nice feel/branding
to it and the menu had a great selection. After eating there, the group decided
it’s definitely worth a return trip when we come back for the Scenic City Invitational
in August.

We returned to the Fairgrounds as everything was set up and
a buzz was in the air for the upcoming action. One of the things that made this special as
Dylan noted on the preview was having a blind bracket going in. Fans knew the first-round
match-ups but had no idea who would face who afterwards.

FIRST ROUND

Bryan Hughes (the ring announcer of Nova Pro) was looking
sharp and on top of his game as we kicked things off, never breaking stride
even with some minor mic troubles. Allie Kat and Su Yung squaring off was just
a microcosm of how the tournament aimed to feature incredible dynamics throughout
the entire night. The two went back and forth before a distraction from Hudson
Envy allowed Allie Kat to hit her trademark headbutt and get the first win of
the MTC. All would NOT be forgotten later on.

The next two matches would feature girls who were added last
minute due to unfortunate medical situations involving Angelus Layne and Isla
Dawn- Nina Monet and Christi Jaynes. Monet had a distinct feel to her and a strong
sense of confidence even opposite the lovely Faye Jackson. All of that would
not be enough as Faye would finish her off and move on to the second round.
Jaynes would face Harlow O’Hara and while her efforts were valiant, O’Hara
would also prove to be too much with a stiff kick followed by an absolutely brutal
DDT. O’Hara looked on-point in both of her matches and can go with the best of
them.

Jordynne Grace came in a heavy favorite no matter who she
was facing, so Savanna Stone had an uphill battle the entire time. Stone is
young and I knew of her heading into this, but really showed a lot of fire both
with her technique and her personality and came off wise beyond her years. Grace
was her usual, excellent self and even switched things up by winning with a
bearhug.

The Hudson Envy/Penelope Ford match was interrupted by- you
guessed it- Su Yung, turning it into a much-welcomed triple threat match. That
simple tweak helped add to the show, especially the first part that saw 8
matches and no mid-show intermission. Seeing Penelope approaching them to start
the match was rather hilarious- and while Su and Hudson had their main focus on
each other, Penelope would make her presence felt throughout the match. Her
biggest moment came with a picture-perfect crossbody off the top rope to the outside
onto both Hudson and Su. Hudson would be taken out when she went knee first
into the ringpost/apron, and Su would hit her Panic Switch finish for the win.

Aja Perera vs Laynie Luck would follow. Aja had just
returned from Japan with a new look and tweaks to her moveset as well. Luck
would still be dealing with a leg injury but braved through it for the right to
be crowned winner (less than 24 hours after competing at Threat of Joy, too!).
Hats off to her incredible effort on both Friday and Saturday. Luck not only
looked serviceable in the ring but a real threat to the sharper-than-ever Perera,
but Aja would end up victorious. My night was made when I dubbed one of her moves
the “Down To Earth”, and she admitted she might use that as the official name:

Another heavy favorite heading in was Kylie Rae, and the fiery
dynamo from the Chicago area came in looking ripe to the hype as she went
opposite Veda Scott. Scott, a very crafty veteran with tons of experience would
look to rain on Kylie’s parade and slow her down with a diverse arsenal of
moves. A second rope clothesline and German suplex were a small sample of her
efforts. Kylie would fight through and despite trying her best to exhibit
positivity and sportsmanship, she would dig a little deeper to defeat Veda with
her trademark superkick.

My favorite match of the first round closed it out as
Priscilla Kelly took on Samantha Heights. I’d seen Heights back in Nova Pro a
few years back versus Brittany Blake, and the progression was very evident.
While a heel almost by default then, she was oozing confidence in the ring and
owned every bit of her role this time around. The two put on a classic, and I
don’t think I’d seen a match with so many different kinds of kicks/knees in a
long time. The two used soccer kicks, bicycle kicks, big boots, sliding kicks, running
knees, and more to try and win.

Samantha went to great heights and scored the
upset after a top rope blockbuster (sorry for not knowing the name). I was
legitimately stunned with the result as I predicted we’d see Priscilla versus
Kylie at some point (maybe even in the finals), but that’s the beauty of a
tournament. In my eyes, Heights’ star was significantly brighter after the MTC.

SECOND ROUND

There was a prolonged break in between the shows, and I was
starting to feel the entirety of the trip by then, but some fuel from the concession
stand and anticipation of the upcoming bouts helped stave off any fatigue. Not
knowing what match-ups I was about to see added a whole other level of
intrigue.

The Irresistible Force and the Immoveable Object collided as
Faye Jackson took on Jordynne Grace to start the second round. Jackson and Faye
would go at it with an array of power moves, and neither went down easily.
Jackson would fire up with her corner hip/rolling senton attack and it was not enough
to put Grace away. Grace went for a musclebuster but Jackson fought her off.
Thick Mama Pump would not be denied and tossed Jackson off the second rope and
would end up winning with a second rope splash, earning the first spot in the
final round fourway.

Heights would be right back at it as she would face Aja Perera
in their second matches of the night. Perera was the favorite here, but Heights
proved after round 1 that she wasn’t an easy out. Her star-making night
continued as she weathered Perera’s superb offense and won again with a top-rope
blockbuster.

Allie Kat had quite the break in between rounds but showed
no rust as she’d end up victorious over Harlow with a rollup, earning her shot
into the final round (a fourway match). This match was fantastic and Harlow
took Allie’s best shots and dished out more of her dynamic offense before the
finish. I’d seen Harlow before but came away really impressed by her showing in
the MTC. This sequence between the two really shows what this match was all
about:

The final singles match of the night saw Kylie Rae face off
against Su Yung- likely the sharpest contrast of personalities of the night. Before
the match even got started, Su was in rare form threatening everyone with a
chair and plenty of nasty looks. Kylie’s reactions via facial expressions were classic. But she didn’t wither in the
face of adversity- she grabbed a chair and the two had a battle reminiscent of
Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader’s lightsaber one in Return of the Jedi:

The two did not disappoint during the match, either. While
Kylie had to dig deep to beat Veda, she had to find a new version of herself to
take down Su. Watching that character progression throughout the night was
something to behold, and an example of the great storytelling fans saw during
the MTC. The two went to war and Kylie would finally win with another superkick
and be the final entrant in the fourway.

FINAL ROUND

The fourway was now set: Jordynne Grace, Samantha Heights,
Allie Kat and Kylie Rae. Heights might have been the smallest of the four, but
it didn’t affect how she was seen as a threat to win the entire tournament. Grace
was seen as a heavy favorite here, and all three girls realized early on and
ganged up on her. Grace would fall victim to all three hitting their signature
moves before being pinned to the shock of the crowd. A hushed whisper fell over
the crowd following the elimination and
The Undertaker Face was seen aplenty. Kylie made sure to key everyone in on
their good job, and Allie Kat would go down next in another shockingly quick
elimination. Heights and Kylie threw down and battled for the crown, and
eventually Kylie would bounce off the mat with her impressive resorte and drill
Heights on the chin with her superkick to win the first-ever MTC.

The crowd was off their feet in appreciation, not only of
Kylie winning but the entire efforts of all the women. What we saw was
something special, and Papa Hales told fans to expect a second edition to be
announced at a later date.

FINAL THOUGHTS:Kylie had a hell of a night but having not seen Su Yung in
person before I came away beyond impressed with her skillset/presence. She was
in FOUR matches throughout the night and never once showed any signs of slowing
down. She’s petite as well but packs a hell of a fight in her and when she screams,
everyone is in trouble. Post-show she had a long line of fans to greet her but
was very patient and kind to every single one of them. Sidenote: love her
entrance using “Change In the House of Flies)” by the Deftones.

Samantha Heights’ night has already been discussed throughout
this blog, and I’m now on the edge of my seat to witness her bright future
following the MTC.

Having seen Priscilla Kelly a number of times whether in Evolve, Shine or other promotions, I was well aware of her abilities. But having not seen her live in a while, it was plain as day how comfortable she is with her character and how she has a distinct way of moving around the ring. She's very athletic and her character is different than all others. Would love to see her compete again soon.

Aja Perera seemed to be genuinely happy to be back in the
States after her trip to Japan to show off what she had learned. She was a hit
with the fans, and my interaction with her might have been short but I came
away a huge fan.

Savanna Stone was another who stood out in my eyes. Only 18,
she had recently appeared on RAW and had some buzz behind her. While she was
the plucky underdog versus Jordynne, she showed her range by becoming a very
bratty and entertaining heel in a spur of the moment tag match later in the
night. Her presence was felt and I hope to see her pop up in more places in the
future.

For Christi Jaynes to be available for the show on short
notice was impressive. She kindly let the Gated Community share her table and
getting to talk to her throughout the night was a treat for sure. She’s wise
beyond her years and had plenty of fans stopping by to greet her all night
long.

Shout out to Kerry Awful for all his hard work backstage and also helping with the ring setup, too. That guy is seriously a national treasure.

I haven’t seen the edited version yet, but I’m certain
without a doubt that Dylan provided great commentary for the entire show.

Watching all the various interactions between talent and
fans, I noticed how humble each girl was and how there was no room in the MTC
for attitudes or divas. I didn’t get a chance to have prolonged interactions with
all of the girls but heard tons of great things about them from others. What Papa
Hales and Jeremy gave us was tons of great wrestling, a unique venue and a potential
to make this a new institution in the southern wrestling scene.

A long night drive was ahead of us, but the buzz of a fantastic
night of wrestling helped give us some initial energy for the trek home. One
thing’s for sure- Tennessee will see us again soon when The Gated Community,
Squared Circle Soundoff and company return for The Scenic City Invitational!

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know what you think: @SeanNeutronFor more photos and videos from the show, check out @SCSOpod.